Spreyton School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection.

However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend Spreyton school.

This is reflected in their high attendance. Pupils feel safe and well cared for. Staff develop positive relationships with pupils.

As a result, pupils know they can rely on adults to help them. All pupils are included in all aspects of school life. They enjoy playin...g together during social times, including working together to build a 'den'.

The school has developed the curriculum to promote high expectations for pupils. However, work to develop the curriculum in the wider subjects is in the early stages. As a result, the curriculum does not yet support pupils to build their knowledge well across all subjects.

Pupils benefit from a variety of opportunities provided by the school. They are supported to develop their understanding of different cultures. For example, the 'round the world' club enables pupils to taste food from different countries.

Pupils attend trips that enrich the curriculum. This includes a trip to 'Kents Cavern' to support their historical understanding of the Stone Age. Pupils take part in annual performances to develop their confidence.

Parents appreciate the many opportunities on offer to their children.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has worked on the design of the curriculum so that the knowledge pupils need to learn is sequenced progressively. For example, in mathematics, the most important knowledge is mapped out clearly, starting in the early years.

However, in the foundation subjects, the curriculum does not make clear the precise knowledge pupils need to learn to build on what they have learned before. Equally, it is not clear how the knowledge they learn prepares them for future learning. As a result, pupils are not building their knowledge securely across all subjects.

Staff receive support to strengthen their teaching of the curriculum. For example, in early reading, all staff benefit from training to help them teach pupils to learn to read well. However, in some subjects, the expertise needed to teach the curriculum effectively is not yet evident.

Staff are not clear how to adapt learning to ensure all pupils build their knowledge based on what they know and can do. This stalls progress through the curriculum for some pupils.

The school uses a range of strategies to help pupils learn.

Within mathematics, the structure of learning includes 'practise, apply, challenge' to support pupils building their knowledge. Assessment is used to check how well pupils are learning the curriculum. In some subjects, gaps in knowledge are identified and supported.

However, across the wider subjects, assessment is not yet effective in identifying what pupils know and can do. Consequently, pupils have gaps in their knowledge and they find subsequent learning challenging.

Teachers adapt learning to help pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn the curriculum.

These pupils benefit from precise learning targets. Staff receive training, such as in the use of specific communication methods, to support pupils with more complex needs. As a result, pupils with SEND are supported to learn alongside their peers.

However, the deficiencies in the implementation of the curriculum mean these pupils do not achieve as well as they could across all subjects.

The school prioritises helping pupils to learn to read. Staff use assessment to check how well pupils are building their phonics knowledge.

Pupils who need extra help to keep up are supported. Pupils read books that match the sounds they know to become fluent readers. Reading for pleasure is promoted.

Pupils value the recognition of their reading through the 'reading raffle'. They take pleasure in sharing their favourite books and authors as well as the 'reading tree' that encourages pupils to widen their book choices.

Pupils show positive attitudes to their learning.

They know the school routines well. This enables the school to be calm and orderly. From the early years, children learn how to take turns.

Pupils value the recognition they receive for behaving well through 'star of the week'. The school provides additional support for pupils who might struggle to manage their behaviour. This helps all pupils to begin their school day positively.

The school provides a range of opportunities that go beyond the academic. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe in the wider world, including when online. To expand their social groups beyond the school, pupils attend sporting events such as multi-skills and netball.

The school promotes pupils being active and responsible citizens. For example, older pupils have the opportunity to run the local village community shop.

Staff workload and well-being are supported by the school and governors.

Staff value this, including training and guidance provided by colleagues in the federation to support curriculum development.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the school has not identified with enough precision the knowledge it wants pupils to know and remember.

As a result, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and so they are less prepared for future learning. The school must ensure that across all subjects, the precise knowledge pupils need to learn is identified and taught progressively from early years to Year 6. ? Assessment is not used with enough precision.

Consequently, pupils have unidentified gaps in their knowledge. The school must ensure that assessment is used to check how well pupils are learning the curriculum and adapt the curriculum based on what pupils know and can do. ? Teachers do not have the expertise they need to implement the curriculum effectively across all subjects.

As a result, pupils are not building their knowledge securely. The school needs to strengthen staff subject knowledge to teach the full curriculum effectively.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2013.